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SPECIAL: Let's Right A Terrible Wrong

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by Monsignor Charles M. Mangan
©Catholic Online 2005

(Editor's Note: The following was recently submitted to a Weblog in order to give an eyewitness account of what the author observed. The author prays for increased adoration and love for the Most Holy Eucharist on the part of Catholics everywhere.)

Praised be Jesus Christ!

It is inspiring to see any positive developments in encouraging love for and adoration of the Most Holy Eucharist.

I attended the Easter Sunday Mass on March 27, 2005 in Saint Peter's Square and witnessed the following:

+an American priest who was distributing Holy Communion gave three Sacred Hosts to the same man, who in turn passed Them back to others; (I was too far away to say anything to the priest);

+a German priest near me gave two Sacred Hosts to the same woman, who did the same (when I told him that some were passing the Sacred Host to the back, he immediately raised his voice in correction);

+an Italian woman received the Sacred Host, broke It in half, and gave the Half to her son (when I reached down to retrieve the Sacred Particles after she broke the Host, she became visibly shaken and asked "What happened?");

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+a German man near me received the Sacred Host and started walking away (I told him that he had to put the Sacred Host in his mouth, which he did--those who heard me started to groan when I intervened);

+a young American lady (perhaps twenty years old) received the Sacred Host in her hand while chewing gum and started to walk away (when I told her that she had to take the gum out of her mouth and place the Sacred Host in her mouth, she became defiant and said, "I will!" But she didn't. I told her two more times, and she finally relented).

I have probably distributed Holy Communion during the Papal Liturgies on about 200 occasions during the course of eight years. It makes all the difference when the priest is vigilant. With the abundant grace of Our Eucharistic Lord Jesus Christ, Our Blessed Mother and Saint Joseph, and surely not because of any personal merit, I probably stopped several dozen tragedies by watching until the Sacred Host was on the tongue of each communicant.

I was heartened to hear recently during a Papal Liturgy an announcement made in three languages in Saint Peter's Square to the effect that only Catholics who are disposed may received the Most Blessed Sacrament. I am sure that this had some good impact.

True, the Sacred Liturgy offered in Saint Peter's Square is a unique setting. Yet, abuses against the Most Holy Eucharist must never be tolerated, regardless of the location or the seemingly good intentions of those who are ignorant, often through no fault of their own.

We must pray and make reparation for this sad situation. I ask our beloved deceased Pontiff Pope John Paul II, who was head-over-heels in love with the Most Blessed Sacrament, to help increase adoration for "The Bread of Life and Chalice of Everlasting Salvation."

In Jesus, Mary and Saint Joseph,

Monsignor Charles M. Mangan